and throw it amidst our enemies; can
you do so?"

"_Parbleu!_" replied Porthos; and he lifted the barrel with one hand.
"Light it!"

"Stop," said Aramis, "till they are all massed together, and then, my
Jupiter, hurl your thunderbolt among them."

"Light it," repeated Porthos.

"On my part," continued Aramis, "I will join our Bretons, and help them
to get the canoe to the sea. I will wait for you on the shore; launch it
strongly, and hasten to us."

"Light it," said Porthos, a third time.

"But do you understand me?"

"_Parbleu!_" said Porthos again, with laughter that he did not even
attempt to restrain, "when a thing is explained to me I understand it;
begone, and give me the light."

Aramis gave the burning match to Porthos, who held out his arm to him,
his hands being engaged. Aramis pressed the arm of Porthos with both his
hands, and fell back to the outlet of the cavern where the three rowers
awaited him.

Porthos, left alone, applied the spark bravely to the match. The
spark--a feeble spark, first principle of conflagration--shone in the
darkness like a glow-worm, then was deadened against the match which it
set fire to, Porthos enlivening the flame with his breath. The smoke
was a little dispersed, and by the light of the sparkling match objects
might, for two seconds, be distinguished. It was a brief but splendid
spectacle, that of this giant, pale, bloody, his countenance lighted by
the fire of the match burning in surrounding darkness! The soldiers saw
him, they saw the barrel he held in his hand--they at once understood
what was going to happen. Then, these men, already choked with horror at
the sight of what had been accomplished, filled with terror at thought
of what was about to be accomplished, gave out a simultaneous shriek of
agony. Some endeavored to fly, but they encountered the third brigade,
which barred their passage; others mechanically took aim and attempted
to fire their discharged muskets; others fell instinctively upon their
knees. Two or three officers cried out to Porthos to promise him his
liberty if he would spare their lives. The lieutenant of the third
brigade commanded his men to fire; but the guards had before them their
terrified companions, who served as a living rampart for Porthos. We
have said that the light produced by the spark and the match did not
last more than two seconds; but during these two seconds this is what
it illumined: in the first place, the giant, enl